Are there different types of hiatal hernias?

There are two types of hiatal hernias--sliding and paraesophageal. Sliding hiatal hernias are the result of part of the stomach and the area that joins the stomach to the esophagus bulging up into the diaphragm and chest. Most sliding hernias are small in size. Symptoms are usually mild but may worsen when lying down or bending forward. A paraesophageal hiatal hernia involves a portion of the upper stomach but excludes the area that connects the esophagus and stomach. Either type of hiatal hernia can range in size and symptoms; however, paraesophageal hiatal hernias may have no symptoms, but when they do appear, tend to be more severe. Both types of hernias can be affected by other illness, frequent pressure on the abdomen, poor diet, and smoking.

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There are several kinds of hernias, but the all happen when pressure pushes an organ (often the intestine) through a weak spot in a muscle face or wall. Different kinds of hernias have different risk factors. 4/5 of all hernias are inguinal hernias, where the intestine (or occasionally the bladder) pushes through the lower abdominal wall-near or into the groin. Most of these occur in men, although they are also common in newborns because the abdominal walls in babies are weak.
Treatment for hernias can be no treatment, to medicines to surgery. Many hernias are not serious, although larger ones certainly can be, and complications can include an obstruction of the digestive tract. Modern surgical methods to treat hernias are much improved over older techniques and recovery times are much shorter.